I've been anticipating Kristin and Andrew's engagement spotlight since we shot their session back in July, haha! Their gorgeous e-session took place in Old Town Alexandria, and I am still not over how much fun it was. We met up in the early morning hours, and it honestly felt like they were life long friends. We had a great adventure through the city, and we also caught loads of Pokemon. Seriously, never in my life did I think we would play Pokemon with a couple, but Kristin and Andrew are that fantastic :P. Engagement spotlights are some of my absolute favorite posts. Not only do we get to relive an awesome shoot, but we also get an extra day of celebrating the couple. Kristin, Andrew, and their families are working hard to bring everything together for this Saturday. They are tired, stressed, but - most of all - excited. My goal with this little injection of pretty is to ease some of the nerves and add to the anticipation. Kristin and Andrew, I'm sure, are well aware of how fabulous they are. They are truly one of a kind and I'm hoping that post wedding we keep in contact and remain friends. Honestly, I have never had a bride put on their timeline that Shawn needs to be ready to play Super Mario with the boys. But that's different for this wedding, and I'm totally obsessed. We've always said that our ultimate goal is to make our couples feel like...

Today has been the blog I have been most looking forward to since January! It's time for the wedding favorites of 2016! I love this time so much because it always brings back so many wonderful memories. From rainy days to 100 degree days, weddings are my absolute favorite. I feel so much joy when looking back at all the couples we've gotten to interact with. Every single one of them have been so good to us and given us a greater purpose in our business. This year in particular has been hugely instrumental to the changes that are coming in 2017. From website updates, to small changes in our interactions. I feel like 2016 has been a year of great influence to our lives and we just cannot thank our couples enough. Shawn and I do not take for granted a single ounce of the love and support that our couples give to us. Shawn can attest that the thank you cards that we receive always bring such a huge smile to my face. They honestly make our day. It's interesting that sharing our wedding favorites year in and year out is really more of an excuse to brag about how wonderful the people in our lives are. I could seriously go on forever about the sweetness between Sara and Charlie during their first dance. The bravery that Emily and Jon shared going out in the rain for portraits. The laughter from Alyssa as Matthew started break dancing...

We photograph a lot of couples and groups, each with their own collection of unique traits and attitudes. It's a lot of fun to get to know these different people and what makes them special, but it's also interesting to see common threads that link everyone together. Sometimes, it's a pure excitement to be in front of the camera, and other times it's a lack of confidence in modeling abilities. Couples or individuals have warned us before-hand that they feel they aren't photogenic or great at having their picture take. But we have awesome news to the doubters: it's impossible for us to not capture gorgeous images of you! We're not just saying that idly, either, since everyone has the capability to look stunning, no matter what. You can trust in our experience as professional photographers that we will find the perfect way to present you. One of the most common concerns that we get from those who lack faith is not knowing how to pose, specifically on what to do with hands. Hands can be awkward when left hanging at your side, but they need to be comfortable and not distracting when placed elsewhere. During sessions, we've seen people situate their hands three or four different times trying to find a spot that works. We definitely provide instruction when this problem arises, but we understand that having the information before the session is the difference between eager for a session or being scared of it. The tips below apply...

This weekend, Shawn and I took a quick trip down to Great Falls Park and did some intense location scouting. We've heard of this amazing spot for years, but haven't been able to check it out. It wasn't until one of our couple's mentioned it that we decided to make the drive down to Virginia. There was no better time to visit, since it was the Centennial for The National Park Service. Not only was there free entry to the park, but they were also showing Wall*E in the evening. I don't think Shawn and I could have planned our impromptu date hike any better, haha! Walking around the park, I honestly could not believe how beautiful it was. Sure, the temperature in August isn't ideal for a hike, but as we reached the edge of the cliffs the view took our breath away. There was a slight breeze from the falls below that filled the air with a wonderful crispness that cooled the scorching heat. As a result, near the edge of the rocks, it was as if fall had already arrived. Shawn and I found this amazing secluded spot to hangout and dream about the e-sessions that we hope take place here. As the sun was setting we strolled around a little bit more. We found the Matildaville Ruins, which were incredibly interesting to see and learn about. Back in 1790, there was a town constructed whose economy relied on the Patowmack Canal. When the canal closed, the...